This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a desired number of medicinal tablets such as pills and capsules and, in particular, to a counting tray for safely, hygenically and reliably enabling a desired number of medicinal tablets to be separated from a bulk supply and poured into a dispensing bottle.
The most pertinent prior art known to the applicant at the time of filling this application is embodied in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,255,894, 3,848,395, 3,402,827, 4,047,620, 3,662,904, 4,065,000.
The most widely used device employed by pharmacists for counting out pills and capsules, or more generally tablets, is a simple flat tray having a collecting bin positioned along one side margin thereof. A bulk supply of tablets is poured onto the tray and the desired amount counted into the bin using a conventional spatula technique. Once counted, the segregated tablets in the bin must be somehow placed in a prescription bottle without spilling the overage remaining on the tray. This oftentimes proves to be rather difficult. Although this type of tray is simple in construction and can be easily handled, the number of tablets that can be processed at one time is generally limited. Similarly, any moderate displacement of the tray can cause spillage or comingling of already separated tablets with the bulk.
To avoid some of the difficulties associated with the simple conventional tray, complex counting devices have been devised which use templets to mechanically count out a certain number of tablets. An overage of tablets is typically poured over the templet to insure that all the capture cells of the templet are filled before the unused tablets are removed from the apparatus. The templet is then repositioned in regard to a partition located thereunder whereupon the tablets captured in the cells are allowed to drop down into a collection bin from where they may be dispensed into a prescription bottle or the like. As can be seen, the capture cells of the templet must be specifically contoured to accept the size and shape of tablets in process thereby limiting the overall usefulness of the device. Oftentimes pills or capsules will become lodged between the close fitting moving components and break. This requires that the apparatus be cleaned which is a difficult and time consuming task. Because of the number and complexity of the parts involved, templet devices are inherently bulky and thus difficult to handle.
A different approach to the tablet or pill counting problem is presented in the above noted U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,894. The apparatus includes a housing having a collapsible platform that is arranged to part or split along its central axis. A supply of pills is placed on one side of the central parting line of the platform and the desired number of pills are counted out and placed on the other side of the line. An actuating means is then depressed causing the two sections of the platform to be tilted inwardly along the parting line whereupon each group of pills is deposited in a separate bin located under the platform. Pouring means are provided in each bin to enable the collected group of pills to be dispensed therefrom. Here again, the device is bulky and complex and requires the use of closely related coacting parts in order to properly carry out the desired operation. Accordingly, pills can become fouled in the moving parts and be broken. Once contaminated with broken pills or capsules, the complex mechanism becomes extremely difficult to clean. It is further noted that a special finger-mounted spatula is needed to properly count pills situated upon the platform of the housing which again limits the utility of the device.